Ron Weasley leaned back against one of the gazebo pillars, watching the love of his life disappear beyond the hedgerow. He knew where she was going, but he wasn’t sure about why and the uncertainty plagued him. Gazing around, he thought, ‘I hate weddings.’ His dress robes itched. He didn’t recognize any of the music being played and wouldn’t have known how to dance to it even if he had. The people carrying the trays of food seemed to avoid him, ever since he’d cleared off the last one completely. His mother’s watchful eye prevented him from getting anything stronger to drink than a butterbeer. All of his brothers looked better than he did in their fancier, tailored clothes. Finally, his two best friends had deserted him, off in the woods up to who knew what. Under the relentless assault of this horrid event, Ron stood scowling and idly scratching his neck where the woolen robes irritated his skin.
“I really hate weddings,” he grumbled out loud.
“Join the club,” a bitter voice replied at his side.
Ron looked down, alarmed to think that someone had overheard him complaining. There was only one person who could successfully sneak up on him like that. “All right, Gin?” he asked, putting the happy brother-of-the-groom face back on.
His little sister glared up at him. “No, Ron, all is not right, and don’t try to tell me you feel any different. At least you aren’t dressed up like a bloody canary!” Ron noted that her ruffled yellow dress did have some avian qualities to it, but wisely chose not to mention this.
“You look fi…” he started, but then gave it up. “Well, bridesmaids aren’t supposed to look good and really, do you think I look any better in this get-up?” he sighed.
“I thought Fred and George gave you newer robes, Ron. Why did you wear those old ones?”
“Well, I outgrew them, didn’t I?” Ron explained in an exasperated tone. “These are all I could find that fit. I think they used to be Percy’s,” he added distastefully.
Ginny looked up at her brother, amazed to notice that he had indeed grown another few inches. She recalled just a few years ago when they had been about the same height. Now, the top of her head barely reached his chin. With a subtle wave of her wand, she summoned two chairs over to them. “Here, we might as well sit,” she said, carefully arranging the bustle of her hideous dress so she could sit properly. She noted that they could see more eye-to-eye when they both sat, as well.
“Where’s Hermione?” she asked him once they were settled.
“Why should I know?” Ron snapped, eyes blazing briefly. Ginny arched an eyebrow and he calmed himself down. “Sorry, Gin,” he apologized.
“It’s ok, Ron. Went off to find him, did she?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Ron replied sadly. “I mean, it shouldn’t bother me, right? She’s his friend, too, right? Besides, it’s not like she and I are…”
“Why aren’t you, Ron?” Ginny asked suddenly. “You like her, she likes you. What’s the problem?”
“It’s not that easy, Gin,” Ron protested. “Sometimes it seems like we are… something… but then something happens or someone says something and then… not so much. Besides, I’m not sure she really likes me like that, anyway.”
Ginny snorted in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right? Everyone knows how you two feel about each other.”
“Then why is it always about him, Gin?” Ron shot back, his face heated. “Always talking about him, wondering about him, worrying about him.” He looked out towards the hedges. “And that’s where she is now, isn’t she? With him.” Ron shook his head, running a hand through his hair and leaning back in the chair. “I know that it’s all about Harry, Ginny. I wouldn’t trade my life for his, wouldn’t want to have to do what he’s going to have to do. He’s my best friend. I’d jump in front of a dragon for him. But sometimes….”
“Sometimes it can be hard to be his friend,” Ginny finished quietly. “Trust me, I understand,” she added with a quiet, mirthless chuckle.
“Oh geez, Gin, I’m sorry,” Ron said quickly. “I didn’t mean… I mean… oh bollocks.”
Ginny laughed fondly and patted her brother on the knee. “It’s fine, Ron. I’m totally over it. It’s not like we were married or anything. It was fun while it lasted, but now it’s over.” She smiled bravely. “I don’t know why everyone thinks I’m going to break or something. It’s not like I haven’t dated other guys and gone through break-ups before, right?”
“Do you really expect me to believe that, Gin?” Ron asked in a hushed tone, turning to face her directly. “Do you believe it?”
Now it was Ginny whose face heated, whose eyes flashed suddenly. “Why wouldn’t you believe it, Ron? It’s true! It was just a lark… a spring fling…” Her voice caught suddenly and she dropped her eyes away from his. Her knuckles went white as she gripped her robes in her fingers, struggling to regain control of her emotions.
“It wasn’t just that to him, Gin. I know him too well,” Ron said gently. “I’d never seen him so happy, so at peace. You know, his nightmares stopped, after…”
She glanced up suddenly, her moist eyes questioning. Ron could never remember seeing his little sister looking so vulnerable. The sight did not sit well and he resolved to have some words with his best friend.
“Gin, the thing with Harry is that he can be a right idiot a lot of the time, but his heart is in the right place. He does stupid things, but usually he has a reason that seems pretty good, at least to him. He can also be really stubborn about things.”
“You’re one to talk, Ronald Weasley,” Ginny pointed out archly. “How stubborn and stupid are you being about Hermione?”
“I told you, Gin, she doesn’t like me that way. We’re just friends.”
“She loves you, moron! How is it that everyone in the world can see that except you!” Ginny sighed. “Ron, you can’t just wait for it to fall out of the sky. At some point, you have to take a chance. Look at what I did with Harry, running up and kissing him in front of all of Gryffindor.” She smiled at the memory.
“Kissing him? I thought he kissed you?”
“Well, we kissed each other,” Ginny explained. “The point is that at some point, you just have to do something. After all, if true love isn’t worth a risk or two, then what is?”
“You ought to tell that to him, Gin,” Ron pointed out quietly, “because I’m not buying that that was a fling or anything like you and Dean. I may not know much, but I know love when I see it and he loves you, sis. He’s just being…”
“Stupid and noble?” Ginny asked with a light laugh.
“Yeah, that’s it exactly,” Ron exclaimed. He turned to look back at the hedgerow and his eyes darkened. Ginny followed his gaze in time to see Harry and Hermione emerge from the darkness, hand in hand. Hermione leaned up, whispered something in Harry’s ear, and kissed him on the cheek. Ginny could see his blush all the way across the dance floor. She looked up at her brother, who had stood up suddenly. Could they both have been completely wrong?